42. The Emoji Movie (IMDb: 3.5)
In a smartphone, Gene the “meh” emoji embarks on an adventure through apps to become a “popular” emoji, teaming up with Hi-5 and Jailbreak to escape deletion and find his place.
The film is criticized for blatant product placement (it’s basically an ad for phones), shallow story about conformity, annoying characters, and forced pop songs. Animation is decent but wasted on uninspired jokes, celebrity voices feel gimmicky, and the message rings hollow. It’s seen as cynical kids’ fare that underestimates young audiences, earning Razzie nods for lacking creativity. Parents regret it, calling it soulless corporate entertainment.
